as in improvement
an instance of notable progress in the development of knowledge, technology, or skill
Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin was one of medicine's great breakthroughs, for penicillin became the first antibiotic to successfully combat bacterial infections in humans
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Recent Examples of breakthrough
This breakthrough, which earned Isomorphic founder Demis Hassabis a Nobel Prize in 2024, offered the first seismic proof that AI could compress biological research processes that once took years into mere minutes.
—
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
The album-opening title track is a prime example of the kind of detailed storytelling that’s been Williams’ hallmark throughout her career, most famously on classic albums like her 1988 breakthrough, Lucinda Williams, and her 1998 masterpiece, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
Each is, respectively, still the most successful play and film by a Latino play and film in the United States, and Alvarado unpacks each as a breakthrough for an underrepresented minority while also acknowledging the difficulties surrounding them.
—Jake Cole, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
Huge numbers of Swedes tune in not just for the glamour but to hear interviews with researchers, learn about medical breakthroughs, and explore advances in fields such as materials science and quantum physics.
—David M. Ewalt, Scientific American, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
The album-opening title track is a prime example of the kind of detailed storytelling that’s been Williams’ hallmark throughout her career, most famously on classic albums like her 1988 breakthrough, Lucinda Williams, and her 1998 masterpiece, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
Each is, respectively, still the most successful play and film by a Latino play and film in the United States, and Alvarado unpacks each as a breakthrough for an underrepresented minority while also acknowledging the difficulties surrounding them.
—Jake Cole, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
Huge numbers of Swedes tune in not just for the glamour but to hear interviews with researchers, learn about medical breakthroughs, and explore advances in fields such as materials science and quantum physics.
—David M. Ewalt, Scientific American, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breakthrough
Noun
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Rethinking Brain Training—and Leadership Pickard also challenges common assumptions about cognitive improvement.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Home Depot’s sales have been weaker than expected, as the retail giant waits for housing turnover and significant home improvement spending to pick up again after a boom in demand during the Covid pandemic.—
Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In a departure from past practice, some competitions, notably curling and ice hockey, will begin preliminary rounds on February 4 and 5, in advance of the official opening ceremony, due to the tight schedule.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Archaeological finds involving ancient diseases are uncommon, but advances in DNA analysis have led to significant discoveries.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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From initial hype to tangible industrial momentum, the 2025 China Apparel Industry AI Technology Application Summit emerged as a key battleground where fashion companies demonstrated their technological advancements.—
Li Jun,
Footwear News,
11 Jan. 2026
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Several new advancement opportunities for students Seventh and eighth grade students now have the opportunity to earn high school credits.—
Hope Moses,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breakthrough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breakthrough. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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